diff --git a/tools/lint b/tools/lint
index 559f3ac7b4..9d0774e483 100755
--- a/tools/lint
+++ b/tools/lint
@@ -51,31 +51,50 @@ def run():
         'frontend': ['js', 'ts', 'css', 'scss', 'handlebars', 'html'],
     }, exclude=EXCLUDED_FILES)
 
-    linter_config.external_linter('add_class', ['tools/find-add-class'], ['js'])
-    linter_config.external_linter('css', ['node', 'node_modules/.bin/stylelint'], ['css', 'scss'])
+    linter_config.external_linter('add_class', ['tools/find-add-class'], ['js'],
+                                  description="Compares addClass() between JavaSsript and CSS.")
+    linter_config.external_linter('css', ['node', 'node_modules/.bin/stylelint'], ['css', 'scss'],
+                                  description="Standard CSS style and formatting linter "
+                                  "(config: .stylelintrc)")
     linter_config.external_linter('eslint', ['node', 'node_modules/.bin/eslint',
-                                             '--quiet', '--cache', '--ext', '.js,.ts'], ['js', 'ts'])
-    linter_config.external_linter('puppet', ['puppet', 'parser', 'validate'], ['pp'])
+                                             '--quiet', '--cache', '--ext', '.js,.ts'], ['js', 'ts'],
+                                  description="Standard JavaScript style and formatting linter"
+                                  "(config: .eslintrc).")
+    linter_config.external_linter('puppet', ['puppet', 'parser', 'validate'], ['pp'],
+                                  description="Runs the puppet parser validator, "
+                                  "checking for syntax errors.")
     linter_config.external_linter('puppet-lint',
-                                  ['puppet-lint'] + PUPPET_CHECK_RULES_TO_EXCLUDE, ['pp'])
-    linter_config.external_linter('templates', ['tools/check-templates'], ['handlebars', 'html'])
-    linter_config.external_linter('swagger', ['node', 'tools/check-swagger'], ['yaml'])
-    linter_config.external_linter('shellcheck', ['shellcheck', '-x'], ['sh'])
+                                  ['puppet-lint'] + PUPPET_CHECK_RULES_TO_EXCLUDE, ['pp'],
+                                  description="Standard puppet linter"
+                                  "(config: tools/linter_lib/exclude.py)")
+    linter_config.external_linter('templates', ['tools/check-templates'], ['handlebars', 'html'],
+                                  description="Custom linter checks whitespace formatting"
+                                  "of HTML templates.")
+    linter_config.external_linter('swagger', ['node', 'tools/check-swagger'], ['yaml'],
+                                  description="Validates our OpenAPI/Swagger API documentation"
+                                  "(zerver/openapi/zulip.yaml) ")
+    linter_config.external_linter('shellcheck', ['shellcheck', '-x'], ['sh'],
+                                  description="Standard shell script linter.")
     command = ['tools/run-mypy']
     if args.force:
         command.append('--force')
-    linter_config.external_linter('mypy', command, ['py'], pass_targets=False)
-    linter_config.external_linter('gitlint', ['tools/commit-message-lint'])
+    linter_config.external_linter('mypy', command, ['py'], pass_targets=False,
+                                  description="Static type checker for Python (config: mypy.ini)")
+    linter_config.external_linter('gitlint', ['tools/commit-message-lint'],
+                                  description="Checks commit messages for common formatting errors."
+                                  "(config: .gitlint)")
 
     @linter_config.lint
     def custom_py():
         # type: () -> int
+        """Runs custom checks for python files (config: tools/linter_lib/custom_check.py)"""
         failed = python_rules.check(by_lang)
         return 1 if failed else 0
 
     @linter_config.lint
     def custom_nonpy():
         # type: () -> int
+        """Runs custom checks for non-python files (config: tools/linter_lib/custom_check.py)"""
         failed = False
         for rule in non_py_rules:
             failed = failed or rule.check(by_lang)
@@ -84,6 +103,7 @@ def run():
     @linter_config.lint
     def pyflakes():
         # type: () -> int
+        """Standard Python bug and code smell linter (config: tools/linter_lib/pyflakes.py)"""
         failed = check_pyflakes(by_lang['py'], args)
         return 1 if failed else 0
 
@@ -93,12 +113,14 @@ def run():
     @linter_config.lint
     def pep8_1of2():
         # type: () -> int
+        """Standard Python style linter on 50% of files (config: tools/linter_lib/pep8.py)"""
         failed = check_pep8(list(python_part1))
         return 1 if failed else 0
 
     @linter_config.lint
     def pep8_2of2():
         # type: () -> int
+        """Standard Python style linter on other 50% of files (config: tools/linter_lib/pep8.py)"""
         failed = check_pep8(list(python_part2))
         return 1 if failed else 0